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1. Embed this notice
   Jon Worth (jon@gruene.social)'s status on Thursday, 07-Nov-2024 02:41:53 JST Jon Worth

   in reply to

   • Corentin

   Sat in my final TER today (I’m finally getting close-ish to Hazebrouck) and the defeatism of the tone of my conversation with @corentin is getting to me

   We’ve both seen enough and know enough to know what to do to prevent circumstances like my missed connection earlier in Amiens from happening

   And neither of us has any hope any politician with decision making power will ever understand it

   • Embed this notice
     Jon Worth (jon@gruene.social)'s status on Thursday, 07-Nov-2024 02:41:54 JST Jon Worth

     in reply to

     And this train is a TER 2N NG https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z_24500?wprov=sfti1#

     Not to be confused with the Regio 2N I took earlier

     Built between 2000 and 2009 these are the best EMUs for French rural services. Smooth ride. Quiet. Decent luggage space. Reasonably comfy seats. Definitely better than the newer Regio 2N

   • Embed this notice
     Jon Worth (jon@gruene.social)'s status on Thursday, 07-Nov-2024 02:41:55 JST Jon Worth

     in reply to

     Just chatted to the train manager here (in French)

     “Why did the previous train not wait, even 1 minute?”
     “It never waits”
     “But you left passengers stranded”
     “We have to leave on time, it’s stipulated”
     “But why does SNCF Connect even show me this connection?”
     “It’s a stupid computer”

     Like really. A railway that doesn’t even have a system to pay attention to connections between regional trains? 🤦♂️

     (The guy was friendly and understanding but powerless)

   • Embed this notice
     Jon Worth (jon@gruene.social)'s status on Thursday, 07-Nov-2024 02:41:57 JST Jon Worth

     in reply to

     Next up: Amiens-Arras on this. No idea about the data for this one yet as I wasn’t even meant to take it

   • Embed this notice
     Jon Worth (jon@gruene.social)'s status on Thursday, 07-Nov-2024 02:41:58 JST Jon Worth

     in reply to

     Also an aside on Trump

     I’m a straight white middle aged guy with a university education, two citizenships, and I live in the EU

     All things considered I’m as sheltered from the shit to come as much as pretty much anyone in this world

     But I feel hopeless - there’s nothing that feels appropriate I could do or say

     All I can keep doing is working in my small way in my own field - to improve EU politics and public transport, however insignificant that seems

   • Embed this notice
     Jon Worth (jon@gruene.social)'s status on Thursday, 07-Nov-2024 02:41:59 JST Jon Worth

     in reply to

     And to those going “it’s Hauts de France at fault, not SNCF” ok, but then they’re setting the performance criteria wrong

     In the semi liberalised railway in Czechia it’s stipulated per train and per station what has to wait for what, with extra waits for the last connection of the day

     And yeah I know. France learning lessons from a country like Czechia… that’s not happening

   • Embed this notice
     Jon Worth (jon@gruene.social)'s status on Thursday, 07-Nov-2024 02:42:00 JST Jon Worth

     in reply to

     There are times trains can’t wait. There are times when - operationally - a railway has to take decisions that seem customer unfriendly.

     But at 10:50 on a Wednesday morning at an empty Amiens station, with a train taking a route with plenty of capacity towards Arras isn’t one.

     SNCF has left me and others stranded an hour here because their approach to TER customers is we’re the lowest form of pond life *and don’t matter*.

   • Embed this notice
     Jon Worth (jon@gruene.social)'s status on Thursday, 07-Nov-2024 02:42:01 JST Jon Worth

     in reply to

     When those who defend SNCF say different operators on French rail will worsen the service for passengers I honestly struggle to see how

     Here this morning in Amiens is one of those moments where a very minor adjustment - holding a train for 2 minutes in an empty station - could have benefitted passengers

     But SNCF couldn’t be arsed

   • Embed this notice
     Jon Worth (jon@gruene.social)'s status on Thursday, 07-Nov-2024 02:42:02 JST Jon Worth

     in reply to

     At thanks for that SNCF you jerks

     TER Paris - Amiens arrives +5, Platform 9

     As *it’s rolling in*, the TER to Lille rolls out of Platform 10, so I missed it (having seen it)

   • Embed this notice
     Jon Worth (jon@gruene.social)'s status on Thursday, 07-Nov-2024 02:42:03 JST Jon Worth

     in reply to

     And taking TER trains in most of France is a disheartening experience

     The vast majority of passengers are too young or too poor to have cars - they’re only here because they have no other choice

     Many stations are knackered and run down

     Most of the trains are modern-ish, but information provision is poor

   • Embed this notice
     Jon Worth (jon@gruene.social)'s status on Thursday, 07-Nov-2024 02:42:04 JST Jon Worth

     I’ve teleported myself to Brandenbu… ah no Hauts de France

     And SNCF TERs don’t have on board WiFi to help me overcome it